Homeward Bound Part One: An Unexpected Journey

Chapter Thirty-Four

"I give you my word, she will not come to harm."

Bilba stirred and blinked blearily. For the second time she woke to find the strange elf kneeling in front of her, though this time she felt a thousand times more refreshed and aware.

Looking up she saw Thorin with his head up, resting back against the wall. He still held her on his lap, one knee and arm supporting her back while the other leg stretched out straight and his other arm lay across her lap.

He looked every inch a blooded King, even in chains. Bilba spent so much time with him slogging through mud and escaping death that she sometimes forgot that King under the Mountain wasn't just a name or random title he liked to use.

She looked toward her elf and saw, behind him, the two guards standing at the door, their eyes wide with shock. Bilba stiffened, her hands tightening on Thorin's shirt and she heard him actually growl.

"You've done a poor job of it so far."

Her elf shrugged. "I only just found her, her condition can hardly be laid at my feet. I will see to it that she is cared for from now on, however."

"Her condition can be laid at her own feet," Bilba said in annoyance. "I can take care of myself you know."

Thorin and the elf she was beginning to think of as Ridiculously Pretty Elf both looked at her.

"Yes," Thorin said, his voice dry, "I can see how well you've been taking care of yourself."

Bilba rolled her eyes and then leaned forward and kissed him. He kissed her back possessively, releasing her when she pulled away but not without sending a challenging look at her elf.

Bilba got up and obediently followed the elf to the door, skirting to stay close to him and away from the guards who were still giving her dumbfounded looks.

As she crossed the threshold one of the guards went to close the door only to have Bilba put her hand on it.

"Leave it open."

The guard frowned, opening his mouth to say something, so Bilba dismissed him and turned to her elf. She'd seen him given deferential treatment so surely it meant he had SOME power, right?

"Please?" She knew full well she was small, even for a Hobbit, and the last few weeks had made her thinner and frailer looking. Her clothing, tattered and pieced together as it was, probably only added to the overall waif look and she played it up, clasping her hands in front of her and gazing up at the elf.

Out of the corner of her eye she saw Thorin had his head lowered somewhat to hide a smirk, though his eyes looked up at her in amusement.

From the amused look in the elf's eyes he wasn't the least bit fooled by her act but she didn't let it stop her.

"He's already chained," she insisted, "why does the door have to be shut? Please? Just leave it open."

The elf's eyes tracked to Thorin and then to the guards.

"Why has the door been kept closed?"

One of the guards flinched and began to stammer. "Well...you see...it's the dwarf....he--"

"He's quite rude," the other guard cut in, "we had to close the door just to shut him up."

"Not that it helps," the first one muttered. "His voice carries through wood quite well."

Bilba turned to face Thorin who now had his head up and was outright smirking, pride shining in his eyes.

Bilba bit her lower lip, hard, but was unable to fully pull back her own smile.